Crumble and Custard and Other Puppy Tales

by Jenny Dale

  “He must have got out of our back garden somehow,” Matt explained quickly. “We live just there.” He pointed to his house.

  Mr Brown opened his mouth to say something else, then changed his mind. He’d noticed that some of the children and their parents were laughing, and even the teachers who’d now finished the race were trying not to smile.

  “Well, get rid of him then,” he snapped. “And quickly!”

  Spot whimpered as Matt hurried across the track towards his mum. The parents and children who were watching were still laughing and pointing at them. Spot felt very ashamed of himself.

  “It’s OK, Spot,” Matt whispered quietly into his puppy’s ear. “Thanks to you, my teacher Miss Marshall won the race!”

  Spot looked up at Matt and gave him a grateful lick on the chin. He felt a bit better now. Then Spot saw the look on Mrs Robinson’s face . . .

  “You’re a very bad boy, Spot!” she scolded as Matt handed the puppy to her. “You could have caused a serious accident!”

  Spot whimpered anxiously and tried to lick her hand.

  “This is your fault as well, Matt,” Mrs Robinson went on. “You can’t have closed the back gate properly this morning, and Spot must have got out.”

  Spot felt terrible when he heard that. He didn’t want Matt to be blamed when it wasn’t his fault. He began to whine loudly, but stopped as he saw Mr Brown glaring at him again.

  “I’d better take Spot home right away,” Mrs Robinson sighed, “before he can do any more damage!”

  Matt’s face fell. “But if you go now, you’ll miss my first race!” he said. “It’s the egg and spoon.”

  Mrs Robinson hesitated. “Well, all right. I’ll stay and watch that first.”

  Spot’s tail began to wag a little. At least he was going to see Matt take part in one race!

  “You’d better behave yourself now, Spot,” Mrs Robinson said firmly, as she sat down with the puppy on her lap. “I think Mr Brown’s had enough of you for one day!”

  “Hello, Spot!” said the woman who was sitting next to Mrs Robinson.

  Spot knew who she was and wagged his tail. It was Mrs Parsons, Daniel’s mum, and she had Daniel’s little sister Emma in her arms.

  “Dog!” said Emma, trying to grab Spot’s ear. “Dog! Woof, woof!”

  Spot licked her hand, and Emma squealed with delight.

  “Look, Emma,” said Mrs Parsons, lifting the little girl up. “There’s Daniel and Matt!”

  Spot looked up the track too, and saw Matt and his friend lining up for the egg and spoon race. Spot wasn’t sure what an egg and spoon race was. Did the children have to eat the egg with the spoon?

  “On your marks!” shouted Mr Brown, who was starting off the race.

  Spot was amazed to see that all the children, including Matt, were holding a spoon with an egg balanced on it.

  “Get set!” shouted Mr Brown. “Go!”

  The race began. The children set off, half-running and half-walking, carefully holding their eggs and spoons in front of them.

  Spot watched, puzzled. What a strange race! But he began to get excited when he saw that Matt was in the lead!

  “Come on, Matt!” shouted Mrs Robinson, bouncing Spot up and down on her knee.

  Spot barked loudly, straining forward to get a better view. Matt was still in the lead, running along very carefully, his eyes fixed on the egg in front of him.

  But then, just as Matt drew level with Mrs Robinson and Spot, he stumbled. The egg fell off his spoon into the grass.

  Matt’s mum had got so excited watching the race that she’d loosened her grip on Spot. Spot didn’t hesitate. He leapt off her lap and dashed across the grass to pick up the egg. If he took it to the finishing-line, Matt might still win!

  The other children taking part in the race were so surprised to see Spot darting in front of them that they all dropped their eggs too. Spot ignored them and grabbed Matt’s egg in his teeth.

  The egg was surprisingly hard and shiny. It felt more like a stone or a pebble. Spot decided it couldn’t be a real egg, after all.

  “Spot!” Matt was running towards him. “Come here!”

  Spot galloped off towards the finishing-line, making sure that Matt was following him. He dashed under the tape and was thrilled to hear cheers from the crowd.

  Matt followed him a few seconds later. They’d won! Spot danced around Matt’s ankles, barking loudly with delight.

  “This dog is ruining our Sports Day!” boomed an angry voice.

  Everyone fell silent as Mr Brown, panting and red in the face, hurried down the track towards Matt and Spot.

  Alarmed, Spot hid behind Matt’s legs, trying to make himself as small as possible. He’d done the wrong thing again. But he’d only wanted to help Matt win a race!

  “I’m terribly sorry, Mr Brown,” said Mrs Robinson, as she rushed over and picked Spot up. “I’ll take him home right away.”

  “Thank you,” snapped the headmaster. “I think we’d better run the race again – and this time we’ll do it properly!”

  Spot looked miserably over Mrs Robinson’s shoulder as she carried him away from all the fun. He’d got Matt into trouble again, and they hadn’t even won the race in the end. It looked as if Sports Day was over for Spot.

  Chapter Four

  “In you go, Spot.” Mrs Robinson swung open the back gate and took the puppy inside the garden. She frowned. “Why isn’t the gate still open? Oh, well, the wind must have blown it shut after you’d got out.”

  She wagged her finger sternly at Spot. “Now you behave yourself until we get back!”

  Spot sat on the grass and looked up at Mrs Robinson, his brown eyes miserable.

  Mrs Robinson couldn’t help smiling. “It’s all right, Spot,” she said, giving him a pat. “I know you didn’t mean any harm. Be a good boy, now. We’ll be home soon.”

  She went out again, checking the gate to make sure it was properly shut.

  Gloomily, Spot lay down and put his nose between his paws. He’d really made a mess of things this time. He’d got Matt into trouble with his mum and with his headmaster.

  Suddenly the people in the field started cheering loudly. Spot couldn’t help himself. He dashed straight over to his secret hole to see what was going on. But he was too far away to see anything much.

  Everyone at Sports Day was having fun except him and it didn’t seem at all fair that he was left out.

  Spot made up his mind and wriggled through the hole again. This time, he’d keep out of sight. He’d find a quiet hiding place where he could watch the races without being seen.

  He crept cautiously across the field, keeping a sharp lookout. Some of the smallest children in the school were having a sack race, and they were all getting tangled up in their sacks and falling over. Everyone was watching the race so no one noticed Spot at all.

  On the grass was a pile of sacks that weren’t being used. Spot crawled towards them on his tummy and quickly burrowed his way underneath them.

  He lay still for a moment or two, then carefully poked his head out and looked around. He soon dived back under the sacks again, though, because the first thing he saw was Mr Brown’s shoes. The headmaster was standing right next to him!

  “Class 3M! Skipping race next!” shouted Mr Brown loudly.

  Spot knew that Matt was in Class 3M, so he risked a quick look out from under the sacks again. Luckily Mr Brown had walked over to the starting-line.

  Spot had quite a good view, and he was thrilled to see Matt and Daniel lining up next to each other with skipping ropes. He longed to bark loudly to encourage Matt, but he didn’t dare.

  “On your marks!” Mr Brown boomed, as the entrants stood holding their skipping ropes ready. Spot could hardly sit still because he was so excited.

  “Get set!”

  It was then that Spot noticed little Emma Parsons, Daniel’s sister, in the distance. She was toddling along on her own across the field, stopping now and then to pick a daisy
.

  Spot could see that Emma’s mum was talking to Mrs Robinson. She’d probably put Emma down for a minute and not noticed that she’d wandered off, Spot decided.

  Then Spot noticed something else: Emma was heading towards the open gateway at the top of the field.

  Spot knew that beyond the gate was a very busy and dangerous road. Out on his lead with Matt, Spot had seen all sorts of huge scary lorries and buses on that road. Fast cars raced along it too. Spot was sure that little Emma shouldn’t go near the road on her own.

  “Go!” shouted Mr Brown.

  At the same moment Spot leapt to his feet and rushed out from under the pile of sacks. He had to stop Emma from going through the gate. But would he make it in time?

  Chapter Five

  Spot took the quickest route towards Emma – which was straight across the track.

  “It’s that pest of a dog again!” roared Mr Brown furiously as Spot suddenly appeared and dashed in front of the skipping children. All of them, including Matt, had to stop quickly, and most of them tripped on their skipping ropes and fell.

  “Spot!” yelled Matt, trying to untangle himself from his rope. “Spot, come here!”

  Spot took no notice. He knew he was a fast runner, but this was the fastest he had ever run in his life.

  “Matthew Robinson! Will you get that dog of yours under control!” Mr Brown was shouting at the top of his voice as he dashed down the track. “I’ve had just about enough of this!”

  “I’m trying, sir!” gasped Matt, who was still trying to untangle himself.

  “I want that dog caught and taken away immediately— Aaargh!” Mr Brown tripped over a trailing skipping rope and fell flat on his face.

  “Are you all right, Mr Brown?” asked Mrs Robinson, who had hurried out from the audience to help.

  “Yes, yes, never mind me!” Mr Brown muttered furiously as he struggled to his feet. “Just catch that dog!”

  “Spot!” shouted Mrs Robinson. “Come back, right now!”

  Spot ignored all the noise behind him and kept going, his eyes fixed firmly on Emma. Suddenly the field seemed very big and very long – and every second was taking Emma closer to the open gate and dangerous road beyond it. Spot wasn’t sure he could get there in time, but he knew he had to try.

  “Spot!” Matt was racing along behind him, followed by Mrs Robinson, Mr Brown and some of the other teachers who had joined in the chase. “Spot, will you please come back?”

  Just then, Daniel Parsons noticed something. “Look, Mum!” he shouted. “Isn’t that Emma heading towards the gate?”

  “Oh my goodness, so it is!” gasped Mrs Parsons, her face turning pale. “She must have wandered off!” Mrs Parsons and Daniel leapt up and ran after the others.

  Mr Brown had noticed Emma too and had forgotten about being angry with Spot. “Quick!” he shouted. “That child is heading towards the open gate. She’ll be out on the main road any minute!”

  “But look, Spot’s trying to stop her!” Matt shouted in an excited voice. “Go on, Spot! Good boy! You can do it, I know you can!”

  Spot heard Matt’s shout from behind him and forced himself to run even faster. His legs were so tired, but Emma was almost at the open gate. Spot knew he had to make an extra big effort now to reach the toddler and somehow stop her going through it.

  Yes! Spot leapt past Emma and swerved to a stop in front of her, making her stop too. By now they were right next to the gate. The sound of lorries and cars racing along outside was deafening.

  “Dog!” said Emma happily, having no idea she had been in such danger. She patted the puppy. “Spot!”

  Spot barked weakly. He felt as if he had no breath left. He’d just run the most important race of his life – and he’d won!

  Chapter Six

  “Good boy, Spot!” Matt reached Spot and Emma first. He picked his puppy up and hugged him.

  Mrs Parsons was right behind Matt. She grabbed Emma and gave her a big hug too. “You shouldn’t have gone off like that, Emma!” she said tearfully. “But thanks to Spot, you’re safe!”

  “Spot’s a hero!” Daniel added as they walked back to the race track. All the children and parents and teachers cheered the puppy.

  Only Mr Brown stayed silent. “Er . . . well,” he muttered, as everyone turned to look at him. “I think that er . . . Spot . . . has done very well. Very well indeed . . . And he’s welcome to stay and watch the rest of Sports Day . . .”

  Everyone cheered and pretended not to hear when Mr Brown added, “. . . if he promises to behave himself!”

  Spot barked loudly with delight, wagging his tail. He even thought about leaning over to lick Mr Brown’s hand, but he decided against it. Spot still found the headmaster a bit scary!

  Everyone sat down, ready to continue with Sports Day. Mrs Parsons kept a tight hold of Emma’s hand.

  Mr Brown announced that they would hold Class 3M’s skipping race again, so Matt had to hurry off.

  “I’m really proud of you, Spot!” he whispered in Spot’s ear before he handed the puppy over to Mrs Robinson. “You showed Mr Brown just what a brilliant dog you are!”

  Spot’s heart swelled with pride. He sat on Mrs Robinson’s knee to watch the skipping race, hoping that Matt would win.

  Sadly, Matt and Daniel got tangled up in each other’s ropes and they both came in last. Spot was a bit disappointed but this time he didn’t try to interfere and stayed quietly on Mrs Robinson’s lap.

  It was great fun watching all the different races, and Spot barked loudly through all of them, even the ones Matt wasn’t in.

  The running race came last, and Spot thought that Matt had a good chance of winning. He sat forward eagerly as children from Class 3M lined up at the top of the track.

  Matt waved at him. “I’m going to try to run as fast as you, Spot!” he called.

  Spot barked his support then turned round and licked Mrs Robinson’s chin excitedly.

  Mr Brown got ready to start the race. “On your marks! Get set! Go!” he shouted.

  Matt and the others started running. Spot was dismayed to see that at first a tall girl with very long legs was in the lead, but then he saw that Matt was catching up with her.

  “Go on, Matt!” he barked. “You can do it!”

  Matt heard Spot barking and that made him run even faster. He passed the girl and crossed the finishing-line – first!

  Mrs Robinson was almost as excited as Spot, and she jumped up and down with the puppy in her arms. “He won, Spot! He won!”

  Spot was so proud he couldn’t stop barking. He had been hoping and hoping that Matt would come first in a race, and now he had!

  When the last race was over, it was time for Mr Brown to present certificates to the winners. Their names were called out one by one, and each winner went up onto the platform to shake hands with the headmaster.

  Spot waited impatiently for Matt’s turn. When Matt went up on that platform, Spot was going to bark louder than he’d ever barked in his life!

  “And now the Class 3M running race,” Mr Brown announced. Spot’s tail began to wag furiously. “Our winner is . . . Matthew Robinson!”

  Everyone clapped as Matt went up onto the platform, but they laughed too, because Spot was barking madly.

  Mr Brown gave Matt his certificate, then he turned to the audience. “Sports Day is almost over now, but I have one very special presentation to make before we all go home.”

  Everyone sat up, wondering what was about to happen.

  “We have a very clever dog here today,” Mr Brown went on. “And after a few . . . er . . . hiccups . . . he has helped to make our Sports Day a great success!” The headmaster went a bit red, then laughed along with everyone else. “So it gives me great pleasure to present a special certificate to Spot Robinson!”

  Spot could hardly believe his ears. He was going to get a certificate?

  “Come here, Spot!” Matt called excitedly. “Come and get your certificate!”

  Sp
ot didn’t need telling twice. He dived off Mrs Robinson’s knee and raced up onto the platform.

  Mr Brown bent down and patted Spot, then he gave the certificate to Matt.

  “Look, Spot!” Matt knelt down and showed him the certificate.

  “It says:

  For Spot,

  the bravest and fastest dog we know.

  From all the children and teachers at Redhill Primary School.”

  Everyone cheered and clapped. Spot was so pleased and proud he couldn’t even bark. This time he did jump up and lick Mr Brown’s hand!

  Mr Brown smiled and looked quite pleased.

  “We’ll pin it up in the kitchen, near your basket,” Matt said as he gave his puppy a hug. “This really has been Spot’s Day!”

  Lily

  the Lost Puppy

  For Isabel, Peter and Jessie

  Chapter One

  “Lily! Watch out!” Jack was dragging an empty suitcase across his bedroom floor, right over where Lily was sniffing a really interesting patch of bare floorboard. It was full of new smells because the carpet had been taken up only the day before.

  Hmm, thought Lily, as her small black nose snuffled along the floor. Just the faintest whiff of mouse. And something else – old biscuit crumbs, maybe?

  “Lily, move!” Jack called out again.

  “OK, OK! Keep your hair on!” Lily yapped crossly as she skipped out of the way. Wherever she was, Lily seemed to be in the wrong place at the moment.

  During the last few days, the whole family seemed to have gone mad! There were boxes all over the house and everyone was making a huge fuss about packing things into them. Even Jack had been behaving oddly – he’d hardly played with her for ages. And he was supposed to be her best mate!

  Lily lay down with her head between her paws. Why was everyone packing their things away? Was it some sort of game? No, it couldn’t be, because when she’d started playing in all that lovely newspaper lying on the hall floor yesterday, she’d got into trouble.